Yog Raj Sharma
The North News
Shimla, August 5
Torrential rains have continued to lash Himachal Pradesh for the second consecutive day, crippling transport, damaging infrastructure and prompting widespread school closures across the hill state. Landslides, uprooted trees and flooding have forced the closure of 613 roads, including four national highways, officials said. Power and water supply systems have also buckled under pressure, with nearly 1,500 transformers and 265 water supply schemes knocked out. Entire hillsides have slid away, and 448 homes have been reduced to rubble, many in villages too remote for immediate relief.
As rivers and streams remain swollen and threatening, authorities warn of heightened risks of landslides and cloudbursts. The death toll from the ongoing monsoon season has now reached 194, and the state’s Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi said losses have already crossed ₹1,600 crore – a figure likely to rise as assessments continue, particularly in agriculture and horticulture sectors.
“We are restoring road access on a war footing,” Negi said, while also calling for a re-evaluation of construction near rivers and streams. “Much of the damage is concentrated around water bodies. This must be a lesson.”
In Kheer Ganga, Uttarkashi, a cloudburst triggered chaos and destruction, prompting an emotional response from the minister, who expressed deep grief over the loss.
Meanwhile, Sub-Divisional Magistrates in several regions have shut educational institutions due to the adverse conditions. In Shimla district, schools are closed in Theog, Chopal, Rampur, Sunni, Jubbal, Kumarsain, and Dodra-Kwar on August 6. The capital city has also reported multiple incidents of falling trees and landslides.
A yellow alert has been issued by the Meteorological Centre in Shimla for heavy rain across most districts today, with authorities urging people to remain indoors and avoid travel unless essential.
